Detachable mounting for weft detectors



May 12, 1942, R. e. TURNER 2,283,105

DETACHABLE MOUNTING FOR WEFT DETECTORS Filed April :5, 1941 FIG. 1 B

I NVENTOR EACH ARD GTTLJRNER WWW PvT-v o RNEY Patented May 12, 1942 UNITE STATES PATENT F FICE DETACHABLE MOUNTING FOR WEFT DETECTORS Richard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass, assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 3, 1941, Serial No. 386,612,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to weft detectors for looms and it is the general object of the invention to provide a mounting for the detector from which the latter may be readily detached to permit repairs to the detector tip.

In certain types of weft detectors, particular-- H ly those which close an electric circuit by means of a metallic ferrule on the exhausted bobbin, it is desirable to be able to remove any burrs or pits which may occur in the feeler tip due to areing. Occasionally the breaking of the circuit when the lay moves rearwardly results in burning which leaves a black deposit on the feeler tip that is likely to mar the weft on subsequent detecting operations.

, lay L and a shuttle box B on it in which is located a shuttle carrying a bobbin It carrying a wound In order that the detector may be quickly de-" 1 tached from its mounting so that the tip may be refinished it is an important object of my present invention to provide a support having spring clip means which will embrace a part of which will yield readily to permit removal of the detector.

Electrical detectors operate in connection with an electric circuit in the loom including a solenoid or other electromagnetic device which actuates the replenishing or loom stopping mechanism, and it is a further object of my present invention to provide a form of electric contact prongs broken between the oppositely charged detector and the circuit which may be readily and reestablished when the detector is removed andsubsequently replaced. As shown hereinafter the circuit may have terminals in the form of prongs stationary on the detector support to,

'-a detector to hold it in operative position but mass of weft W. The barrel of the bobbin is provided with a metallic ferrule ll ordinarily covered by the weft but which becomes uncovered as weft exhaustion approaches.

, A stand I5 for supporting the weft detector designated generally at D may either be fixed with respect to the loom frame or mounted for forward motion relatively thereto on replenishing beats of the loom. The detector may be of the type shown in prior Patent No. 1,924,197 and may havea body 20 of insulating material,

such as a phenol condensation product, and is provided with a pair of parallel bores 21 and 22 to receive the detector prongs 23 and 24, respectively. Each prong may be provided with an enlarged detector tip 25 of a general form shown 1 in Patent 2,045,960, although it is not necessary to employ the particular metals mentioned in receive electrodes projecting from the detector,

or may comprise friction socket heads which fit directly on to the wire prongs of the detector.

The detector is preferably so constructed as to receive stationary pins which extend in a direction transverse of the force exerted on the" f prongs at the time of a weft detecting operation. In the practice of my invention the attendant will be provided witha spare detector in proper condition which can be used as a replacement for any detector which must be re-- moved from its mounting for repair.

With these and otherobjects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth.

' In the accompanying drawing, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a weft detector and a the last named patent, and light compression springs 26 surrounding the detector prongs push rearwardly on collets fixed on the prongs to hold them yieldingly'in rear position.

The body 20 preferably has a widened forward end 30 through which extend. a pair of vertical holes 3| and the .rear end 32 of the detector' body may be thinner than the forward end and also of less width asindicated in Figs.

1 and 2. The enlarged forward end of the detector guidehas fixed thereto a pair of spaced contacts 35, each having a shank threaded into one of the bores 2i and 22, The wires prongs 23 and 24 extend forwardly through the contacts '35 to have sliding engagement with their portion of a shuttle and shuttle box showing the preferred form of my the detector,

' Fig. 2 is a side elevation taken in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

improved mounting for interiors when the lay moves the shuttle forwardly for a detecting operation. Each of the detector contacts may be formed with a forwardly projecting substantially cylindrical lug'sfi in the preferred form of the invention. The support I5 has slots 38 extending backwardly and forwardly therein to permit adjustment of the detectortoward and from the shuttle by securing means to be described. g 5

The matter thus far described, except as indicated herein, may-be substantially the same as that shown for instance in Patent No. 1,924,- 197 and except for the contact lugs 36 may be constructed according to established practice. In carrying my present invention into effect I secure a base plate to the support I5 under the detector and provide the plate with means for holding the detector in operative position by connections which permit a ready detachment of the detector. from the support. Accordingly, in

by a nut fit threaded on-the lower-end of the stud. By means of shoulders 42 and nuts 44 the plate 41] is held securely to thesupport l5, and the studs are so" spaced by the plate that theyproject upwardly through the vertical holes 3i in the detector body. The upper ends of the studs are substantially the same diameter as the holes 3!, thus permitting'thedetector to be slid upwardly off the studs.

The rear part of the plate 46 carries aspring clip 55 having a lower horizontal web which is riveted as at 52 to the plate-40, and lateral upwardly extending'spring arms 53 each'provided with a hook 54 are bentup-from the'web and integral therewith. -When in normal position the hooks-5l "extend over the top of the rear narrow end SE of the detector body and hold the latter in position on the plate 40 with the web 5! extending under the thinner part :32. The web 5i may be of such thicknessas to engage the bottom of end 32 and afford solid support for it, as indicated in Fig. 3. I

The forward endof plate "40 is provided with 'a pair of electric contact springclips 55 each.

having a base 55 through which extends a contact screw 57 to hold theclip on--the base and afford electric contact with a wire '58-forming part of a loom controlling-circuit not shown. Each clip iseprovide'd with a pairo'f resilient upwardly extending spacedseparable arms 59 to.

receive one "of the lugs 36. The arms 59 establish a close frictional contact with the lugs 36 and the wires 53 arepermanently connected to the spring contacts 55.

In the operation of the preferred form of the invention the tips 25will engage the bobbin on each detecting beat .of the loom and be moved forwardly in the body 20 against theresistance of springs 25. When the tips-engage the ferrule H theyare electricallyconnected and the 7 wire prongs 23 and '24, because of their sliding engagement with contacts 35, electrically con,- nect wires 58 to close the loom controlling circuit.

Should the yarn engaging. portions of the detector tips become pitted or blackened the resilient hooks 54 may be spread apart and the detector moved upwardly, thereby moving the lugs 35 out of the spring clips'55 and also raising the detector body to a point above the tops of the supporting studs 4|. The detector may then be replaced by a similar detector in proper condition merely by inserting a new detector downwardly along the studs? to cause the arms '54 and 59 to spread apart and then snap back 'to normal positionto hold those parts of the "detector positionedfor engagement 'with' them.

The detector then may be taken'to' apolishing' or burnishing device, which as indicated in Fig. 6, may comprise a motor M, having a shaft 60 to which is attached a polishing head 6| of leather or other suitable material and having a concave socket B2 proportioned to receive the rear ends of the detector tips. Each of the latter can thus be reconditioned and the detector kept by the attendant to be used as a replacement for the next detector which must be reconditioned.

In' the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 5 the contact screws 65 will replace those used in the preferred form and the electric detector prongs 55 and 8! will project forwardly far-enough to be detachably connected to'spring socket heads '68 attached to the ends of wires 59 which correspond to wires-58 of the preferred form. Electric current can therefore pass from the detector prongs-65 and 61 to the wires 69 without passing through a sliding contact. When the detector is to be removed the detachable spring contacts '68 are slid forwardly from the detector-prongs. In other respects the modified form of detector is similar to the preferred form.

-While I have described my invention with particular reference to an electrical weft detector certain features of my invention 'such for instance as the stud Al and spring arms 54, are adaptable for holding the weft detector which is not necessarily of the electrical type. While it is convenient to adapt my invention to already existing structures by the use of the insulated plate, I do not wish thus to be limited, inasmuch as it is sufilcicnt if the spring clips are rigid with respect to the support l5 and the electrical clips 55, when used, are insulatedfrom the support. In this connection it is to be noted that certain types of weft detectors other. than electrical may require conditioning of their tips in order to tector which permits'the latter to be detached readily from its support so that the damaged weft engaging tip 'may' be reconditioned. It will i be seenthat'the insulating plate "Ml is provided with a spring clip to embrace a portion of the detector body and hold thelatter to the plate "40, which in"turnis hel'd to the support [5 by means of the studsl. 'The' latter extend'in a direction transverse of the direction in which the detector prongs slide and thus withstand any tendency'to disturb the detector'in its setting Iduring'repeateddetecting operations. It will further be seen that in the preferred form'the externalcircuit isconnected to'the detector prongs by meanslof the 'clips.55' which are permanently connected to the plate 50' and extend upwardly so' that upward motion of the :detector necessary to move it on? the studsM win at the same time disconnect the "lugs 35from the. prongs 55. In the modified form thespring clip 50 and'the studs 4| will be-substantially thesame'as in body provided with an aperture extending therethrough, a support for the detector, a plate be,- tween the detector and the support, a guide stud on the plate extending through the aperture, means to hold the stud on the support, spring clip means on the plate engaging opposite sides of the detector to hold the latter to the plate and movable to detector releasing position by a motion transverse of the direction in which said aperture extends, and a shoulder on the stud between the detector and plate and held against vertical motion relatively to the plate and detector when the latter is held to the plate by said spring clip means, whereby the stud, detector and plate constitute a unit held together by said spring clip means.

2. In a mounting for a weft detector having a body provided with an aperture extending vertically therethrough, a support for the detector, 2. plate between the support and the detector, a guide stud projecting upwardly from the plate through the aperture, spring clip means on the plate having resilient arms movable normally toward holding position with respect to said body of the detector in directions transverse of the directions in which said aperture extends and yieldable in directions away from each other to release the detector, whereby the latter may be raised to a position above the guide means on the plate, and a shoulder on the stud between the detector and plate and held against vertical motion relatively to the plate and detector when the latter is held to the plate by said spring clip means, whereby the stud, detector and plate constitute a unit held together by said spring clip means. i

3. In a mounting for a weft detectorhaving a body provided with apertures extending vertically therethrough, a support for the detector, a plate between the support and the detector, studs the upper parts of which constitute guide pins extending upwardly from the plate through said apertures to hold the detector against displacement in a horizontal direction relatively to the plate, spring clip means having a body extending under the detector and secured to the plate and having resilient side arms extending upwardly and normally over the upper surface of the detector to prevent upward motion of the detector relatively to the plate, a shoulder formed I on each stud located between the detector and plate to prevent vertical motion of the stud relatector having a body with vertically extending apertures therethrough and in which are mounted horizontally slidable detector elements the rear ends of which project behind the body of the detector and the forward ends of which slide through contact elements, a support for the detector, a plate formed of insulating material located between the support and the body of the detector, spring clip means secured to the plate and including upwardly extending arms to overhang portions of the detector and hold the latter normally against upward motion relatively to the plate, guide pins projecting upwardl from said plate through the apertures to prevent horizontal motion of the detector relativelyto the holding relation with respect to the body of the detector and the latter being movable upwardly along the guide pins to move the contact elements out of engagement with the contact members, and a shoulder on each pin between the detector body and said plate held against upward motion relatively to the detector and plate by said spring clip means when the latter overhangs portions of the detector.

5. A weft detecting unit for a loom having a weft surface to be detected and provided with a support to which the unit is to be secured, said unit comprising a weft detector having parts to engage the surface to be detected, a plate under the detector, a stud passing through the detector and plate and having a shoulder located between the detector and the plate, the lower part of said stud being of sufiicient length to be attached to the support, and spring clip means on the plate to engage a portion of the detector and hold the latter to the plate, said spring clip means holding the detector, the plate and the stud together as an organized unit when the stud is being secured to said support.

6. A weft detecting unit for a loom having a weft surface to be detected and provided with a support to which the unit is to be secured, said unit comprising a detector having insulated electrical feeler elements for engagement with said surface, a plate formed of insulating material under the detector, insulated contacts on the plate for said elements, a stud passing through said detector and plate and having a shoulder located between the detector and the plate, a portion of said stud being formed for attachment to the support, and spring clip means on said plate removably holding the detector to said plate, said spring clip means holding the de tector, the plate and the stud together as an organized unit with said elements in engagement, with their respective contacts when said unit is being attached to said support.

7. In a weft detecting unit for a loom having a surface to be detected and provided with a support for the unit having formed therein a slot extending in a direction toward and from said surface to be detected, said unit comprising a weft detector having portions to engage said surface, a plate under said detector, a stud passing through said detector and plate and formed to have a portion thereof extending through said slot for holding relation with respect to said support, spring clip means on the plate to hold the holding the detector and plate and stud together 7 as an organized unit to permit movement of said unit toward and from the surface to be detected when the stud is adjusted along said slot.

RICHARD G. TURNER. 

